(2020-03-12). Headlines for March 12, 2020. democracynow.org World Health Organization Declares Coronavirus Pandemic, Top Italian Health Official Among 827 Coronavirus Dead as Italy Faces "Darkest Hour", Iran Condemns U.S. Sanctions as "Medical Terrorism" as Coronavirus Death Toll Hits 429, President Trump Announces Europe Travel Ban in Error-Laden Oval Office Speech, U.S. Labs Face Shortage of Supplies Needed to Test for Coronavirus, Sen. Lamar Alexander Blocks Quick Passage of Paid Sick Leave Bill, School Closures from Coronavirus Affecting Over 1 Million K-12 Students Nationwide, Bernie Sanders Promises to Question Biden Over Progressive Policies at Next Debate, Joe Bid…
(2020-03-12). Golden Anniversaries for Flawed Treaties: The NPT turns Fifty. dissidentvoice.org In an era where agreements have been abandoned as "bad", to use that favourite word of US President Donald Trump, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons continues to feature on the books of diplomacy. But age seems to be wearying it and decoding sober readings from hype-filled tat has been a testing task. …
(2020-03-12). India tightens measures as coronavirus cases rise to 73. yenisafak.com The total number of coronavirus cases in India has risen to 73 on Thursday, as fresh cases were reported from different parts of the country, the Health Ministry said.According to the ministry's website, of total 73 confirmed cases, 56 are Indian nationals.The ministry said the highest number of cases were reported from the southern state of Kerala (17), while more than 1 million passengers have been screened at airports.Meanwhile, India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar informed the parliament on Thursday that "6,000 Indians are stranded in Iran."The initial focus of the Indian government is on…
(2020-03-12). Death toll from coronavirus climbs to 429 in Iran. yenisafak.com The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in Iran rose to 429, the state TV reported on Thursday.Authorities said 75 people died in the last 24 hours, while 1,075 new cases were revealed, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 10,075, Iran's state TV quoted Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour as saying.A total of 3,276 people have been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the virus, the official added.Turkey, which has just a single confirmed case of coronavirus, closed its land borders and suspended air travel to Iran last month.Besides China, Italy, and South Korea, Iran is among…
(2020-03-12). Russia Hands to Iran Coronavirus Diagnostic Systems Designed for 50,000 Tests — Watchdog. iranian.com Iran has received from Russia coronavirus diagnostic systems designed for 50,000 tests, Russian consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said. "Due to the deteriorating epidemiological situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran because of the spread of the novel coronavirus infection, Rospotrebnadzor provided free of charge test systems for laboratory diagnosis of the new coronavirus infection in …
(2020-03-12). Russia cannot do without Turkey's cooperation in Syria. iranian.com The former Soviet Union was a satiated world power. It didn't have to prove anything. The Great Patriotic War (1941-45) spoke for itself. Thus, triumphalism was never a diplomatic tool in the Soviet inventory. The removal of the US nuclear missiles from Turkey in the downstream of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis was not even …
(2020-03-12). 2 Americans and 1 Brit killed when 15 Katyusha rockets landed at Taji Base in Iraq. iranian.com 15 rockets have hit a base near Baghdad that houses US personnel, the Iraqi army has reported. The Katyusha rockets struck al-Taji, located 27km north of Baghdad, on Wednesday, the Iraqi army reported. The base houses American forces in addition to Iraqi soldiers. According to Jennifer Griffin, National Security Correspondent for FOX News: "2 Americans …
(2020-03-12). Iran Applies for $5 Billion Loan from IMF to Battle Coronavirus. iranian.com The Governor of the Central Bank of Iran said he has asked the International Monetary Fund for a $5 billion loan that would help the country deal with the outbreak of COVID-19, saying the IMF's response will be a litmus test for claims about relief aid for containing the disease. In a post on his …
(2020-03-12). Iran deploys S-300 missiles at Fordow nuclear facility — report. iranian.com Iran has deployed a Russian-made S-300 surface-to-air missile defense system at its Fordow uranium enrichment facility, the country's state media have reported, as cited by Reuters. "Our main priority is to protect Iran's nuclear facilities under any circumstances," Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' (IRGC) air defense force, told state …
(2020-03-11). Peace Action: Congress Sends Bipartisan Bill to Trump Rebuking Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 11, 2020 — In response to the House passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Both chambers and …
(2020-03-11). Iran: BBC and other broadcast journalists harassed; families threatened — UN experts. news.un.org Threats, unlawful surveillance and harassment by the authorities, are just some of the concerns facing journalists in Iran, prompting a group of independent UN human rights experts on Wednesday, to once again sound the alarm.
(2020-03-11). Golden Anniversaries for Flawed Treaties: The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Turns Fifty. globalresearch.ca In an era where agreements have been abandoned as "bad", to use that favourite word of US President Donald Trump, the
(2020-03-11). It Looks Like Biden or Trump. So What About Foreign Policies? iranian.com Now that mega-billionaire Bloomberg has realised the impossibility of being president of the United States, he has put his money behind Democrat and former vice-president Joe Biden who looks likely to be going to-to-toe with Trump for election in November. At first glance, he seems a reasonable enough candidate, as Bernie Sanders, who is now …
(2020-03-11). Ten rockets hit Iraq base housing US troops. iranian.com Ten rockets have hit a base near Baghdad that houses US personnel, the Iraqi army has reported. It's not yet clear whether the attack on al-Taji base resulted in any casualties. The Katyusha rockets struck al-Taji, located 27km north of Baghdad, on Wednesday, the Iraqi army reported. The base houses American forces in addition to …
(2020-03-11). The Odyssey of US Iranian Relations: From Solidarity to Imperialism. iranian.com So wide and deep is the gap between the United States and Iran (at every level) that any prospect of normalization of ties, governmental or non-governmental seems dim at the best. One can mostly credit this to President Donald Trump and his dark antagonizing rhetoric and reckless policies, but there are also deeper scars that …
(2020-03-10). Prisons Worldwide Face Coronavirus Crisis: Overcrowding, Lack of Sanitation & Labor at Slave Wages. democracynow.org 
As Italy went on lockdown, nearly 30 prisons across the country broke into riots Sunday and Monday after visitation rights were suspended in response to the outbreak. In a prison in southern Italy, a riot left at least six incarcerated people dead and caused 50 people to escape. Prisoners have reportedly lit fires, charged guards and even escaped at multiple facilities. This comes as the United Nations confirmed that coronavirus had reached Iran's prisons, as the number of cases there continues to soar. Iran has temporarily freed some 70,000 prisoners in response to the coronavirus. And concerns are growing about…
(2020-03-10). US bringing missile defense systems to Iraq in bid to protect troops against 'potential Iranian attack' — CENTCOM. rt.com 
Pulling out the 'Iran threat' card, the head of the US Central Command has announced that Washington is in the process of installing "air defense systems" and "ballistic missile defense systems" in Iraq. | US Marine Corps General Kenneth McKenzie revealed his country's latest military maneuver in the Middle East during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday. | We are also in the process of bringing air defense systems, ballistic missile defense systems, into Iraq in particular, to protect ourselves against another potential Iranian attack. | It's unclear whether Baghdad has granted the US permissi…
(2020-03-10). Contaminated water at nuclear plant still an issue ahead of Tokyo Olympics. thecanary.co 
Work to deal with contaminated water at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant continues as the Olympic Games approach.Inside a giant decontamination facility at the destroyed plant, workers in hazmat suits monitor radioactive water pumped from three damaged reactors.The decontamination process is a key element of a contentious debate over what should be done with the nearly 1.2 million tons of still-radioactive water being closely watched by governments and organisations around the world ahead of this summer's Tokyo Olympics.The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, or Tepco, says it needs to free up sp…
(2020-03-10). Headlines for March 10, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 4,000 with Over 113,000 Confirmed Infections as Italy Goes into Nationwide Lockdown, Six States Head to Polls as Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden Battle for 352 Delegates , Women Strike in Mexico, Take to Streets in Chile and Argentina to Demand Equality and an End to Violence, U.S. Begins Afghan Troop Withdrawal Amid Political Leadership Crisis | , New Reports Find Boeing at Fault for Fatal Crashes of Boeing 737 MAX Jets, Rafael Cancel Miranda, Puerto Rican Revolutionary, Dies at 89 | , 2020 Izzy Awards Honor Journalist Matt Taibbi, News Inside and The Center for Investigative Journalism…
(2020-03-10). Why nuclear power must remain outlawed in Australia. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-03-10). Russia Provoked Oil Price Fall to Protect its Markets from US Frackers, which could Collapse. iranian.com Last weekend, OPEC Plus, an expanded cartel of petroleum exporters, considered a plan for members to cut back on their oil production so as to support prices in the face of a slowing world economy owing to the novel coronavirus. The Russian Federation rejected the plan put forward by OPEC, insisting on continuing to export …
(2020-03-10). Iran Air resumes flights to Europe. iranian.com Iran Air flights to European destinations were resumed just after 48 hours they were canceled. All Iran Air flights to Europe will be done based on the schedule. In the wake of limitations set by the European Commission for Iran Air flights, the issue was followed up by Iran Air managing director and the Iranian …
(2020-03-10). Photos: IRGC Navy establishes portable hospital in Gilan. iranian.com Responding to the outbreak of COVID-19, IRGC's Naval Force has set up a portable hospital in northern province of Gilan to treat patients infected by the new coronavirus.
(2020-03-10). Iranian Coronavirus test kits to go to domestic market as of March 21. iranian.com Secretary of Biotechnology Development Headquarters of the Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology Mostafa Ghanei informed on Monday that Iranian knowledge-based companies will put their produced coronavirus test kits to the market next Iranian calendar month, Farvardin (Starting on March 21, 2020). As Ghanei, who is also a member of COVID-19 Scientific Committee, elaborated, the available test …
(2020-03-09). Chernobyl to Katrina: Pundits scramble to compare Trump's handling of coronavirus to previous catastrophes. rt.com 
Media are comparing US President Donald Trump's (mis)handling of the COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic to high-profile historical disasters, from the Chernobyl nuclear accident to Hurricane Katrina…and even the fall of Rome. | Pundits eager to see the end of Trump have rushed to compare what they view as his failure to properly deal with the coronavirus outbreak to legendary disasters from recent and ancient history, regardless of how well those disasters reflect current events. | The president himself retweeted a meme that was quickly interpreted as comparing himself to Emperor Nero, who supposedly fiddled whil…
(2020-03-09). Atomic agency cites concerns over Iran testing sites, offers COVID-19 assistance. news.un.org Iran's nuclear capabilities moved back into the international spotlight on Monday as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that it had concerns about possible "undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities" in unregistered locations there.
(2020-03-09). Official: US Still Preventing Medications Imports by Iran. iranian.com Iranian Parliament Speaker's Special Advisor for International Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian denounced American officials' hypocrisy in claiming readiness for help to counter the coronavirus, stressing that Tehran is still unable to import medical needs because of the US sanctions. "The US Treasury does not allow the imports of Iran's purchased medicine and medical equipment for treating …
(2020-03-09). Iran 'a role model for world' in fight against Coronavirus: WHO. iranian.com Richard Brennan, the Regional Emergency Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region, has said countries in the region and all over the world should use Iran's experience as a role model in fight against the novel coronavirus. "Iran benefits from one of the strongest healthcare systems in the region. Iran has made …
(2020-03-04). Headlines for March 4, 2020. democracynow.org Bernie Sanders Wins California as Joe Biden Sweeps the South on Super Tuesday, GOP's Jeff Sessions Faces Runoff in Bid to Reclaim Alabama Senate Seat, Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar Narrowly Beats Progressive Challenger Jessica Cisneros, San Diego Progressive Georgette Gómez to Face Billionaire Heiress Sara Jacobs for CA House Seat, Health Officials Warn Coronavirus Is Far Deadlier Than the Flu, Syrian Forces Recapture Strategic City as Turkey Shoots Down Syrian Warplane, Iranian Security Forces Killed 23 Children During November Protests, At Least 24 Killed as Tornadoes Lash Central Tennessee, Wells Fargo Says It Won'
(2020-02-13). Peace Action: Senate Reclaims War Powers to Thwart Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — February 13, 2020 — In response to the Senate passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "It's about time …
(2020-02-08). US Deploys 'Mini-Nukes' in Deplorable Threat to World Peace. theantimedia.com These so-called "mini-nukes" represent—despite the diminutive-sounding name—an increased risk of nuclear war.
(2020-02-05). Trump Says War With Iran Was "Closer Than You Thought" Last Month. theantimedia.com Trump told reporters that the U.S. came "closer than you thought" to war with Iran last month.
(2020-01-31). House Votes to Rein in Trump's Iran War Powers While Ending Endless Wars. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — January 30, 2020 — In response to two high-profile war powers votes on the House floor today, Peace Action released the following statement: "Our nation's endless wars are on autopilot, with Trump fitfully grabbing the steering wheel until his attention wanders somewhere else. Today's votes are a step toward Congress reclaiming its …
(2020-01-10). Gregory Shupak on Iran Assassination, Brett Hartl on Biodiversity Loss. fair.org 
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(2020-01-08). In the ongoing crisis, Congress must rein in Trump's war powers. peaceaction.org As we feared, President Trump's reckless assassination of Iran's Gen. Soleimani resulted in escalation — direct Iranian missile attacks on two military bases in Iraq. It's painful to watch more violence in a country that has already suffered far too much from endless war. All parties in the US/Iran conflict must cease military action and …
(2019-12-22). Americans Are Ready for a Different Approach to Nuclear Weapons. zcomm.org Although today's public protests against nuclear weapons can't compare to the major antinuclear upheavals of past decades, there are clear indications that most Americans reject the Trump administration's nuclear weapons policies. Since entering office in 2017, the Trump administration has withdrawn the United States from the nuclear agreement with Iran, scrapped the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces
(2019-11-07). Take Action — Some actual, SANE legislation. peaceaction.org Trump has plans to spend nearly $2 TRILLION over the next 30 years on unneeded and unnecessary nuclear weapons and delivery systems. This makes no sense. This is insane. That's nearly $100 million wasted every day for thirty years on weapons we are supposed to be getting rid of. To put that amount in perspective, …
(2019-09-25). Take Action to Avoid War with Iran. peaceaction.org photo credit Dear Groundswell Readers, We have to keep pushing Congress this week if we want to avoid war with Iran. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said recently that the U.K. might join a U.S.-led military effort in the Gulf. When other nations step up to join the "coalition of the willing" it's often a bad sign. …
(2019-07-18). Diplomacy Instead of a Disaster in Iran. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 18, 2019 — In response to reports of the U.S. shooting down an Iranian drone, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because of the Trump administration's policy of maximum provocation towards Iran, America stands on the precipice of another blunderous …
(2019-06-28). Most Senators Oppose War with Iran Without Congressional Approval. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 28, 2019 — In response to the Senate voting 50-40 in favor of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to block funding for military action against Iran without congressional approval, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because …
(2019-06-25). Peace Action Endorses Ilhan Omar for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 25, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Ilhan Omar for Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …